You may be able to get a handle on your sleep issues if you can manage these causes with medical advice from your doctor.

But if you can’t, it may be time to explore the ketogenic diet and insomnia connection.

See if you can identify with a few possible explanations for your keto insomnia, which may include:

#1: Suffering from the Keto Flu

The most common reason people have trouble sleeping when they switch to a ketogenic diet is the dreaded keto flu.

It happens when you give carbs the cold shoulder and switch to fat as your body’s main energy source.

Keto flu symptoms include:

Stomach aches or pains

Brain fog

Dizziness or confusion

Nausea

Irritability

Diarrhea or constipation

Muscle cramping or soreness

Lack of concentration or focus

Sugar cravings

Heart palpitations

Just like the regular flu, keto flu may start and end within 24–72-hours.

So there’s hope your insomnia will subside (along with your other keto flu symptoms) the closer you get to ketosis.

The next reason for your sleeplessness may be due to having fewer dietary carbohydrates and comfort foods on keto.

#2: Your Body Is Adjusting To Your New Keto Macros

Recent research finds the higher amounts of protein and fat you eat on a keto diet combined with your reduction of carbs can temporarily affect your sleep while your body adjusts to this new way of eating.

Turns out, your body has to adapt to metabolizing the macros of a keto diet, and this adaptation can influence your sleep patterns.

In one study, non-obese, good sleepers starting a keto diet had a reduced REM sleep in the short-term[*], while another study found those on a keto diet were more active during early sleep stages 1 and 2[*].

The reduced REM sleep and sleep alterations you may experience when you start eating keto can contribute to your insomnia[*].

While these scenarios may sound awesome for the first few days or even weeks of your high-fat diet, chronically missing an hour or two of sleep here and there still increases your chances of health problems and weight gain.

And if fat loss is your goal and you’re practicing IF, that may also be a temporary problem.

#2: Get Your Electrolytes Right

Act as a natural muscle relaxer to ward off leg cramps and charley horses in the middle of the night

You’ll also find magnesium in Epsom salts, which can be absorbed in your skin during a relaxing night time bath soak. Add a few drops of calming essential oils like lavender or chamomile and you’ll be on a cloud to better sleep in no time.

Bone broth is also liquid gold on keto because it contains a powerful amino acid called glycine that can enhance sleep quality. In addition, drinking bone broth can help keep your electrolytes up[*].

If you’re just starting the keto diet, chances are your electrolytes need balance. Take a high-quality electrolyte supplement to reduce any side effects of low electrolytes, including insomnia.

So to get your body sleepy, try mimicking sunset by keeping the lights in your house on a dimmer switch and turning them down in the PM hours.

Don’t forget about the blue light emitted from your cell phone, laptop, TV and other device screens. This light not only raises cortisol levels, it interferes with the way melatonin is produced so it takes you longer to feel tired and fall asleep.

Try:

Downloading an app like f.lux for your devices, which automatically reduces blue light after sunset if you must use a screen at this time.

#4: Make Sure The Room Is Cool But Your Hands And Feet Stay Warm

The room where you’ll be sleeping should be cool and dark but your extremities should be warm.

Researchers noticed when your hands and feet are warmer than your core, your body begins the sleep process faster than if you were actually physically tired[*].

#5: Exercise Earlier In The Day

A hard workout after a stressful day is all well and good, but try to keep your exercise earlier than 7 pm. Since exercise wakes up your entire body, you’re going to have a harder time calming down for bed if you work out late.

And if you’re not exercising long or hard enough, that may also be a problem for your sleep.

With all your boundless keto energy, you need to burn off your excess by working out between 20–30 minutes at least three times a week.

Do this and you’ll not only hit the hay faster and stay asleep longer because your body will be more tired, you’ll also lose more weight.

#6: Practice Meditation Or Yoga Before Bed

On the other hand, light, gentle exercises like yoga can help your body ease into sleepiness, unwind and clear your headspace for dreamland.

There are even yoga routines, poses and stretches specifically designed for bedtime like this one.

#7: Slowly Ease Into Your Carb Macros

Ladies and those who have trouble sleeping already may want to consider slowly decreasing their carbs instead of starting at the 25g limit on day one.

Trim your diet by 50g of carbs per day until you reach the 25g net carb average for ketosis and your body will have an easier time adjusting.

#8: Eat Your Carbs Later In The Day

Studies suggest eating your carbs four hours before you go to sleep may be better than having a lower carb meal in the same time frame[*]. This gives you ample time to use that energy while also increasing serotonin production to help you fall asleep sooner.

#9: Watch The Caffeine

Did you know caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for up to six hours after you consume it[*]? Research now confirms that taking caffeine up to 6 hours before bedtime will disrupt your sleep.

Cap your caffeine intake to morning and early afternoon hours only. You can switch to green or herbal teas later in the day.

#10: Try Adding More Carbs

Finally, as a last resort after trying all the other sleep tips on this list, adding a small amount of carbs (think: 5–10 grams per day) back in your diet may be the secret to more snooze time.

This extra glucose may stabilize your cortisol levels and also help with serotonin production. But always be careful when adding more carbs — otherwise you can get kicked out of ketosis.

Time to Get More ZZZs

Research shows increasing your sleep time by just one hour more can help you make healthier food choices the next day[*].

So try one or all of these tips for better sleep and you’ll successfully reach your eight-hour goal and get healthier overall.

After all, if you’re putting in the hard work of sticking to the ketogenic diet, you owe it to your body to also tuck in for an early night of restorative sleep too.

Who knows? You could wake up a few pounds lighter — or at least find your way out of a weight loss plateau.

And the longer you stay in keto and follow these tips, your keto insomnia will disappear like the sheep you count before snooze time. #DreamComeTrue